THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Change is inevitable, be it the promises you make or the style of campaigning. Giving something new always keeps the attention of the public, which is now proven by the trendy posters that adorn the walls across the state. Unlike the traditional posters, these have catch lines, lighter shades and can grab eyeballs successfully.
First to surface were the posters of Hibi Eden in Ernakulam which has the catch line ‘Hridayathil Hibi Eden’ (Hibi Eden in our heart).
The rival LDF was not ready to go down without a fight and now the walls in Kochi have posters of LDF candidate P Rajeev stating Varanam Rajeev, Valaranam Kochi (Let Rajeev come, Let Kochi grow). The rest of the state also caught wind of the new trend soon.
In Thiruvananthapuram, the new set of posters of NDA candidate Kummanam Nammude Manassanu (Kummanam is our mind), Onnum Parayanilla.. Ith Kummanam (There is nothing to say.. This is Kummanam).
In Kannur, both the candidates have come up with trendy catch lines.
The posters of UDF candidate K Sudhakaran reads Kannurine Kakkan Karuthode Sudhakaran (Sudhakaran to guard Kannur) and K S Varum, Kannur Maarum (K S will come, Kannur will change).
On the other hand, P K Sreemathi has gone with Vargeeyatha Veezhum , Vikasanam Vaazhum, Ithu Keralamanu (Communalism will fail, development will come, this is Kerala) and Anchandu, Anchiratti Vikasanam (Five years, five-fold development).
Artist Yaga Sreekumar, who designed the posters for Kummanam Rajasekharan, says, “We wanted to focus on themes which will make the posters different. We have only begun, with several ideas in the pipeline. ‘Change’ is the main factor that drove us to do it. The name and symbol were given great importance earlier. Now we have the concept that only the face is enough to identify the person and the party. I think a healthy competition of posters is also going on as part of the campaign”
In Alathur constituency, LDF candidate P K Biju’s posters read Nerinoppam, Naadinoppam (With truth, With people). The posters of LDF candidate in Vadakara P Jayarajan has the catch line Jayikkam Jayarajanoppam (Let us win with Jayarajan). In Chalakkudy, UDF candidate Benny Behanan’s posters read Oppamundavum Ennum (With you, always). In Kollam, the posters of CPM candidate K N Balagopal has the line Kollathinte Nanma ( Kollam’s virtue) while UDF candidate N K Premachandran’s posters has the line Oppamundu Premachandran (Premachandran is with you). The posters of UDF candidate T N Prathapan has the tagline Thrissurinte Prathapakalam (Thrissur’s halcyon days).
Sherin Varghese, Ernakulam DCC secretary, who coined the catch line for Hibi Eden says,
“Posters communicate a lot. While it might not woo voters, they showcase candidates to workers and voters in an flattering light. They should be elegant and up to date.
“We are at a point where there is a generational transition and our campaign methods should also catch up. Only 60- 70 per cent of candidates actually see the candidate during the campaign, the rest of the communication happens through campaign materials and posters are crucial among them. The words give a different context and stays with the voters,” he said.
Interestingly, LDF candidate from Alappuzha A M Ariff’s posters read Alappuzhayude Aishwaryam (Alappuzha’s glory) which is only a modified version of the line he used during the 2016 Assembly elections.
He was a candidate from Aroor constituency and his posters then read Aroorinte Aishwaryam. UDF candidate Shanimol Usman hit back with a gender focused tagline Alappuzhayude Penkaruth (Alappuzha’s woman power).
(With inputs from state bureaus)